RACING came back to Kilworthy in style on Easter Saturday with Lamerton Hunt Point-to-Point drawing a large crowd on a sunny afternoon.

The popular races, cancelled last year because of the foot and mouth crisis and postponed from a week earlier because of waterlogged ground, came up trumps on a day that saw some dramatic finishes.

Hero of the day was young jockey Liam Heard — at just 16 years of age and in only his second race, he notched a great victory on Rice Point in the seven-strong restricted division 2, beating the favourite, Moorland Rose.

The scene for a great day had been set from race one, the members', which saw Pauline and Tony Geering's Grooving battling it out with Yvonne Watson and Jo Channon's Palace Parade. The two horses, along with Brown Robber, left the rest of the six-strong field early on, but it was not until the final run-in on the incline that jockey Richard Darke edged a strong Grooving ahead of Mark Munrowd's Palace.

It was a sign of things to come. The second race, the confined hunts' maiden division 1, had the largest field of the day with 14 horses. It proved to be a great race for the Cornish— Jackie du Plessis's Ross Poldark, from the East Cornwall Hunt, was ridden superbly by Tim Dennis, of Bude, and came home one-and-a-half lengths ahead of the more fancied Iris d'Estruval.

The race was not without sadness as Shewoodshe had to be put down after a fall at the second. Elsewhere in the field, jockey Ian Hambly, who rode Never a Dull Moment, had to be airlifted to hospital after a fall, but thankfully, was not detained.

The 45-minute delay caused by the incidents meant the confined division 2 started late but it did not unsettle Monty's Lass ridden to victory by Alex Charles Jones.

One of the most exciting finishes of the day came in the ladies' open which saw Jazzman, Saint Joseph and Just Bert battling it out — but jockey Mandy Barnett hit all the right notes to bring Jazzman home in front.

Firm favourite Elliewelliewoo, ridden by Leslie Jefford, did not disappoint but was given a run for punters' money by outsider Younico who came home second in the men's open.

The ideal weather and bumper crowd were a ringing vindication of the race organisers' decision to postpone the event from last week.

Results — Members: 1 Grooving (7-4) ridden by Richard Darke; 2 Palace Parade (Mark Munrowd) 3, Brown Robber (Tim Dennis). 6 ran. 1 length, 10. 6mins 29 secs.

Confined hunts maiden div 1: 1 Ross Poldark (Tim Dennis 10-1), 2 Iris d'Estruval (Alex Charles Jones, fav), 3 Brown Chieftain (Leslie Jefford). 14 ran. 1.1/2, 5. 6:22.

Confined hunts maiden div 2: Monty's Lass (Alex Charles Jones 4-1), 2 Joe So Fine (Colin Heard) 3 Wild Bazard (Jennifer Congdon). 12 ran. 2, 3. 6:25.

Ladies' open: 1 Jazzman (Mandy Barnett 6-1), 2 St Joseph (Susan Young fav), 3 Just Bert (Tabitha Cave). 6 ran. 4,4. 6:13.

Confined hunts: 1 O So Bossy (Jennifer Congdon 7-2), 2 La Mola Sun (Tim Dennis fav), 3 Dark Challenger (Richard Woolacott). 11 ran. 10,3. 6:17.

Men's open: 1 Elliewelliewoo (Leslie Jefford 1/4 fav), 2 Younico (Alex Charles Jones), 3 Province (Greg Richards). 4 ran. 4,2. 6:14.

Restricted div 1: 1 Border Rose (Susan Young 8-1), 2 Sporting Chance (Mark Munrowd), 3 Castlehale (Jennifer Congdon). 11 ran. 25, 1.1/2. 6:21.

Restricted div 2: 1 Rice Point (Liam Heard 5-2), 2 Nearly Fair (Tania Newman), 3 Moorland Rose (Susan Young fav). 7 ran. 8,10. 6:24.

Intermediate: 1 Jabiru (Richard Woolacott 3-1), 2 Swincumbe (Tabitha Cave fav), 3 Spread the Word (Alex Charles Jones), 12 ran. 1,4. 6:12.